Stocking form and support



June 7, 1938. P. J. MURRAY STOCKING FORM AND SUPPORT Filed Aug. 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 7, 1938. P. J. MURRAY STOCKING FORM AND SUPPORT Filed Aug. 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 7, 1938 STOCKING FORM AND SUPPORT Patrick Joseph Murray, Clifton Heights, Pa., as-

Signor to Trisco Products, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 15,

7 Claims.

My invention relates to drying frames for stockings or the like, particularly to supports for the drying frames.

A purpose of my invention is to provide a support for a drying frame adapted to be mounted on a bracket in upright or vertical position and with a relatively flat under-surface so that it can be stood on its own bottom surface on a table or the like. 10'

A further purpose is to make the leg of a skeleton stocking form adjustable by bending one or both rods forming the front and rear of the stocking form transversely at the end and passing them through a tubular opening or openings with whose walls the rod or rods are in adjustable frictional engagement.

A further purpose is to provide a fitting, preferably in the form of a casting, to support a variable size drying frame, on which frame different sizes of stockings may be placed, with spring contact of otherwise free ends of the frame for holding the frame in different adjusted positions.

A further purpose is to vary the size of the leg portion of a drying frame made from strip spring material for accommodation of different widths of stockings.

A further purpose is to construct a fitting to support the free ends of a strip material drying frame, with a receptacle upon the fitting into which one end of thestrip material is rigidly secured and an apertured receptacle upon the fitting with which the other end of the strip material is adapted to have adjustable connection, retained by friction in any desired position.

A further purpose is to provide a bracket for supporting a strip material stocking frame, that can be placed upon a wall, door or other suitable support and which can be swung and latched into inner or outer positions.

A further purpose is to provide indentations or slots in the hinge support to make a springpressed latching connection between the strip material of the bracket arm and the hinge support.

A further purpose is to provide a latch connecframe and the extended end of a bracket, to hold the frame in predetermined rotatable positions.

A further purpose is to provide a spring connection between the ends of a stocking frame which are supported from a bracket arm.

A further purpose is to provide a strip material shaped frame for drying stockings in which one end of the strip material is permanently secured terialis adjustable outwardly away from the pertion between an apertured fitting for a stocking" 1934, Serial No. 739,974

manently fastened-end, to allow different sizes of stockings to be neatly fitted upon theshaped frame.

A further purpose isto apply tension to a wet stocking stretched upon a stocking frame byadjustably moving the front and back portionsv apart, sliding either the front or back, portion through a friction-gripping tubular opening,

A further purpose is to telescope the strip ma terial of a stocking frame to move the front and back portions of the frame apart for the purpose of applying adjustable tension to the stocking" during drying. f

A further purpose is to assemble aconveniently hinged bracket for supporting a stocking drying frame which is adaptable to swinging movement with respectto a door. or wall with anarmfextending fromthe hingeof .thebracket toJsupport' the stocking drying frame in a verticalpcsition, the, 1

drying frame being free to rotate in its supportto a predeterminedextent dueito a latch connection between the frame and the support.

A further purpose isto provide a stockingdry ing frame support which can be moved to diifer'? ent positions for useby either .a rightor left-- handed person.

I have preferred to .show one main embodiment only of thepossible forms my, invention may. assume with slight modifications of I part .of the structure shown. Both the main embodiment and the modifications which .havebeen selected are practical and eflicient in operation and well meet the needs of service, as well as. illustrate the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved supporting device mounted upon the extended armof a bracket and with the bracket fastened to a door or other structure.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure of Figure l. V

Figure 3 is a front elevation similar to Figure 2, but with the bracket arm in another position.

Figure 4 is a front elevation similar to Figure 2 but with the stocking frames shown in another position.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of Figure 1, with different positions of the swinging arm and stocking frames shown in dot and dash lines.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a fitting used 50 in assembling my invention.

Figure 7 is an inverted perspective of the fitting shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bracket, and its mount used in my invention.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of my stocking frame and its fitting resting upon a surface.

Figure 10 is a side elevation illustrating a modified arrangement of applying the supporting fitting.

Figures 11 and 12 are fragmentary side elevations of forms showing modified terminal fittings and uniting and providing adjustment between the side rods at the upper ends of the legs.

Figures 13 and 14 are sections of Figure 12 taken upon lines l3l3 and I l-l4.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modification of my invention.

Figure 16 is a perspective view showing a modified type of bracket holder. 7

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

As is very well known, stockings dried while upon a board are of much more uniform plane surface than those which are not boarded during drying and the appearance of which as a consequence is clouded by wrinkles and irregular crinkles.

In the drawings illustrating my invention I have shown in detail a drying frame upon which a wet stocking may be mounted in position for drying.

In my present invention I have provided a frame made of strip material. One end of the strip material which forms the front leg portion of a stocking frame, is preferably rigidly fastened to a fitting. The fitting has a substantially fiat lower surface which serves as a base or stand for the frame. The other end of the strip which forms the rear leg portion of the stocking frame is adjustably secured to the fitting, and the said rear leg portion can be moved away from the front leg portion to accommodate either different leg widths of stockings or to stretch the stockings for better drying, or both.

My invention is also directed to a convenient and suitable supporting device for holding a frame used for drying stockings. The frame, preferably made of a strip material, has its ends connected to a fitting which is mounted upon a bracket arm hinged to a bracket upon a door or wall.

I prefer to use a support for the stocking frame which can easily be moved out of the way of any one who might pass close to the frame.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by showing a pair of frames constructed of strip ma-' terial fastened to a single fitting. The reason for this preference is that stockings are usually handled in pairs.

I expect my invention will find its widest use in private homes and for this reason I have provided a swinging bracket for fastening behind a door, such as a bathroom door, where, when the door of the room is closed, the bracket and the frames upon it can be swung outwardly, so that the user can place a pair of damp stockings over the frame and the bracket can be folded against the rear of the door, after which the door can then be opened and the frame will be out of sight and reach from anyone in the room. Not only will there be an advantage in having the frame behind the door, to prevent bumping against the frame, but the placing of the frame beyond reaching distance will prevent marring or injury to the fragile silk threads and prevent runners from starting in the stockings.

In Figure 1 my drying frames l5 are shown mounted in a vertical position, upon a bracket arm l6 suspended horizontally from a bracket l! which is fastened to any suitable door, wall or like structure l8.

The frames 15, here illustrated as stocking drying frames of strip material, comprise front and rear leg portions [9 and 20 and heel and toe portions 2| and 22. I have preferred to form a toe portion of hollow U members 23 adapted to telescopically engage about extensions 24 and 25 at the ends of strip material which is used to form the front and rear leg portions l 9 and 20, thereby completing the shape of a stocking. Braces 26 are placed between the strip material adjacent the extensions 24 and 25 to make the frames more rigid, being preferably welded to the frames.

At the lower ends of one of the frames l5, one end of the strip material is bent at 21 to a position illustrated in dot and dash lines at 28, the strip material of the end 28 is then bent downwardly and the rear leg portion 20 is bent outwardly after which the end 28 is allowed to spring back into its original position with respect to the front leg portion I9, with the end 28 entering one of the apertures 29 in the rear end of a fitting 30. The end 28 now assumes a position as illustrated at 3|, and the spring tension of the end as illustrated at 3|, coming into contact with the walls 32 of the aperture 29, will cause the ends 3| to engage the walls of the apertures and to hold the strip frame material in a set position. The spring action is in the plane of the form.

It will be obvious that the movement of the rear leg portion 20 outwardly or inwardly with respect to the front leg portion 19 will cause the rear leg portion to change the distance between the front and rear leg portions, thereby changing the frame to accommodate different widths of stockings applied to the frame.

The front leg portions IQ of the drying frames are permanently secured in sockets 33 of the fitting 30, thereby joining the front leg portions IS with the rear leg portions 20 of the strip material' to complete the frame structure.

For convenience of manufacture and in order to lighten the fitting and at the same time provide suitable seating possibilities, the fitting 30 is reduced in shape at 34 between the socket 33 and the walls 32 which receive the spring ends 3| of the strip material.

At the bottom of the fitting 30 I provide a longitudinal recess 35 which joins with a vertically disposed aperture 36. The fitting 3B is placed upon the bracket arm 16 and the arm is placed in the longitudinal recess 35 with the vertical extension Hi from the bracket arm fitting into the aperture 36 in the fitting, thereby firmly supporting the fitting upon the bracket, and the fitting supporting the drying frame.

Lateral recesses 31 are provided in the bottom of the fitting for purposes hereinafter described.

The bracket arm I6 is provided at its inner end with a downward extension I6 The downward extension is placed at H through projections 38 and 39 of the bracket IT. The extension I6 is secured in place on the bracket by a nut 40 placed upon the threaded end N5 of the extension I6 A spring 4| is interposed between the nut l6 and the projection 39 of the bracket, causing the arm [6 to be pressed into engagement with any one of recesses 42, 43 or 44 as occasion demands. It will be noted that the arm I 6 which carries the fitting 30 can be swung into position to engage in any one of the aforesaid recesses 42, 43 or 44. When in the position illustrated in Figure 8 the bracket arm will extend outwardly away from the bracket and in this position I have found that the user is enabled to place stockings about the frames in a convenient manner.

of the spring 4! of the bracket pressing the arm into the recess.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated my frames in a position which is suitable for the use of a lefthanded person. It will be noted that the fitting 30 is turned to a position whereby one of the recesses 31 in the bottom of the fitting is utilized for engagement with the bracket arm, thereby causing the rear leg portions to assume a position to the right of the front leg portions in this figure. The stocking frames as shown in Figure 4 may be rotated 180 about the pivot It so that the front leg portions may be on the right, with the rear leg portions on the left. This is a convenient position for a right-handed person in boarding stockings.

I have found that it is not always convenient for the users of stocking drying frames to place a supporting bracket upon a wall or door structure and my device adapts itself to use in a standing position as illustrated in Figure 9, in which the fitting 30 is placed upon a base or surface 46, merely having been lifted off the bracket arm. The bottom of the fitting 30 is fiat and provides a good support.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated a modification in which the rear leg portion 25 of the drying frame has its ends inserted into the tubular extension 33 of fitting 3B and the front leg portion I9 is provided with the ends 3| bent at right angles to the front portion 59 and inserted through apertures in the front end of the fitting and making spring engagement with the apertures to allow the spring ends 3| to engage and hold the front leg portion IS in an adjustable position with respect to the rear leg portion 25'.

I have also illustrated in Figure 10 a series of graduations 4'1 upon the extension 3i by which the user is enabled to determine the exact ex- "tent of movement of one leg portion with respect to the other. The graduations 4'! are shown as slight depressions which assist in holding the rod in any set position.

In case a larger or smaller size of foot exists in the stocking to be dried, the U-shaped telescopic member 23 is provided for enlarging or reducing the size of the foot portion of the stocking. The U-shaped tubing makes a close enough fit with the extensions 24 and 25 to entrap air inside when the U-tube is moved inward, or create a partial vacuum when the U-tube is moved outward, thus opposing change of position of the U-tube. A good friction fit between the U-tube and the extensions 24 and 25 also tends to hold the adjustable foot in any desired position.

In Figure 11 the fitting 30 is shown as having a transverse cylindrical opening at 29 to hold and permit adjustment of the straight transverse end of one of the side rods, which may be either H3 or 20. The friction of the transverse end 48 within the fitting is sufficient to hold the rod in any desired adjustment.

In Figure 12 the side rods I9 20 I9 20 have been made separable so as to allow for convenient packing of the form during travelling and are joined in use by sleeves 49.

In Figures 12, 13, and 14 the fitting by which the upper ends of the leg rods are united and held in adjusted position has been made from pressed metal, the sheet 50 being bent at 5| to surround the longitudinal part of the leg rod l9 and the metal edge at 52 being bent to surround a slight turn 53 of this rod and to form a cylin-der within which the end 3| of rod 20 may be fitted, to give sufficient friction for holding in adjusted position, and may be held. The walls of the cylindrical opening through which the end 31 passes may be desirably flattened so as to exert increased lateral pressure against the end.

3| 2 and hold the end 3| 2 in any desired position. The otherwise free edge of the metal is bent at 54 and folded back on the rest of the metal so as to cover the rawedges of the cylindrical bends 5| and 52. The finish formed is found to be improvedfrom one standpoint at leastby having the inner edges 55 and 5B of the metal which is bent back upon itself not merely lie against the cylinders formed from the rest of the metal but overlie outwardly turned terminal edges 51 and 58 from these cylinders, so that the terminal edges from the cylindrical material are overlapped by the portion of the sheet metal which is bent back so that its edge abuts against or lies beneath the cylindrical surfaces.

In order that the form of Figure 12 may be hung up to balance suitably, it is apertured at 59. The structure of Figure 12 has only one form to each fitting, rather than a pair as in the other figures.

In Figure 15 I show a tube 58 which frictionally engages the bent portions 59 and 60 on the front and rear rods I9 and 20 of the drying form. In adjusting the front and rear rods with respect to one another, both rods move with respect to the tube 58, which holds the rods in any set position.

In thebracket holder shown in Figure 16 but a single boss 38 is used having a bearing opening 6i. The boss is made slightly longer in this figure than in the illustration of Figures 1 to 5 and 8, where two bearings are spaced. The same spring retraction of the pivot rod is used as in the other figures in order that the swinging bracket arm may be held conveniently in laterally adjusted positions.

It will be evident that my bracket arm has a plurality of positions (three shown) with respect to the bracket pivot support or holder, and that the fitting and stocking frames or forms have a plurality of positions (three shown) with respect to the bracket arm. The bracket arm may be either parallel to (against) the surface to which the bracket holder is secured, on either side of the bracket, or transverse to (extending out from) said surface. The fitting and stocking frames or forms may either be parallel to the bracket arm or transverse to the bracket arm, in position for boarding stockings by a righthanded or a left-handed person. The fitting and stocking frames or forms may also be wholly removed from the bracket arm.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters and back rods united at the foot and having ends adapted to be moved toward and from each other at the upper end of the leg in combination with a sheet metal fitting adjustably uniting the ends of the rods having the sheet metal turned at adjoining corners to form cylinders substantially one transverse to the other, the one rod end being retained in one of the cylinders and the other rod end being retained in the other of said cylinders and the metal between the points of entry of the rods into the fitting being bent to form a finish for the edges of the cylinders.

2. A bracket holder, a bracket arm in the holder adapted to swing around the axis of the bracket, an upturned pivot at the swinging end of the bracket arm, a stocking form, a fitting secured at the leg end of the stocking form, having an opening substantially in line with one of the edges of the form which engages around the upturned pivot and having grooves in the bottom .of the fitting to engage the bracket arm in different angular locations of the form, whereby the form can be shifted from right to left position for stocking mounting and in either mounting position can be shifted by swinging the bracket arm to bring the form close to the support of the bracket holder.

3. A stocking form having a pivot opening generally parallel to the length of the form and grooved at one end of the form in two directions,

; a swinging bracket arm upturned at the outer end to fit the opening, engaging within the grooving to hold the form in differing positions and downwardly turned at its inner end, a bracket holder affording pivot support for the inner end of the bracket arm and spring means pressing the arm downwardly into the holder to retain it in adjusted position against relative projections upon the holder, whereby the stocking form and bracket can be swung about the inner end of the bracket arm and the stocking form can conveniently be swung about the outer end of the bracket arm.

4. A pair of forms having foot and leg portions terminating in spaced front and back rods and a fitting apertured for one rod of each form,

said apertures being generally parallel with the length of the form and the walls of said apertures of the fitting rigidly engaging the rods, the fitting having a vertical pivotal passage between said apertures and being grooved on the bottom at angularly spaced positions around the passage and having other apertures transverse to the pivotal passage within which the other rods of the forms are adjustably mounted.

5. A fitting for pivotal support of a stocking form having openings at opposite ends of the fitting, those at one end transverse to those at the other and adapted to receive the terminal rods of stocking forms, said fitting having a pivotal opening'between and parallel to the openings at one end and a groove across the openings at that end and transverse thereto and a pair of:

skeleton stocking forms comprising spaced rods terminating at the leg ends of the forms in rod ends which enter the openings at the ends of the fitting, one pair of rod ends being transverse to the rods and adjustable in their fitting openings.

6. A fitting for a stocking form comprising a fitting end having a pivot opening and having terminals on opposite sides of the opening and parallel to it for reception of ends of stocking forms, said fitting end being grooved transversely to the axes of said pivot opening and terminals and grooved also in a direction at an angle to the first groove and transverse to the pivot opening and an extension of said fitting receiving the other ends of the stocking forms in a direction transverse to the pivot opening. I

7. A skeleton stocking form of metal rod bent into the outline of a stocking, having front and rear portions joined at the foot end, one of which portions is bent at the leg end generally transversely to the length of the form and in the general plane of the form to produce an extension,

a fitting separate from the rod having two open: ings, one of which openings extends upwardly and longitudinally of the form and receives and firmly supports the other rod portion in upstanding position and the other of which openings extends transversely of the form and by its walls surrounds and adjustably frictionally engages the ex--' tension, and supporting means for the fitting holding the stocking form substantially vertical with the toe end upward.

PATRICK JOSEPH MURRAY. 

